1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to coating processes using catalyzed vapor deposition of diamond.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of the carbon allotrope diamond is highly desirable as a temperature, impact, and abrasion resistive coating that is also highly heat conducting and has low friction. The development of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for diamond films from a carbon containing plasma has resulted in the practical application of diamond films for these uses on electrically conducting or semiconducting materials. However, CVD deposition of diamond has been ineffective on the electrically conductive carbon allotrope graphite since any carbon deposited is in the form of additional graphite.
Even on materials on which the prior art deposition is effective, the prior art temperatures of 850.degree.-1100.degree. C. damage many potentially desirable substrate materials and result in the diffusion of dopants from deposited diamond and the diffusion of deleterious materials from the substrate into the: diamond.
It is thus highly desirable to provide a diamond deposition method which extends the benefits of diamond films to graphite.